Health Net 2007 Annual Report Download - page 78

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Other relevant factors include exceptional situations that might require judgmental adjustments in setting the
reserves for claims, such as system conversions, processing interruptions or changes, environmental changes or
other factors. All of these factors are used in estimating reserves for claims and are important to our reserve
methodology in trending the claims per member per month for purposes of estimating the reserves for the most
recent months. In developing its best estimate of reserves for claims, we consistently apply the principles and
methodology described above from year to year, while also giving due consideration to the potential variability
of these factors. Because reserves for claims includes various actuarially developed estimates, our actual health
care services expense may be more or less than our previously developed estimates. Claims processing expenses
are also accrued based on an estimate of expenses necessary to process such claims. Such reserves are
continually monitored and reviewed, with any adjustments reflected in current operations.
HN of California, our California HMO, generally contracts with various medical groups to provide
professional care to certain of its members on a capitated, or fixed per member per month fee basis. Capitation
contracts generally include a provision for stop-loss and non-capitated services for which we are liable.
Professional capitated contracts also generally contain provisions for shared risk. We have risk-sharing
arrangements with certain of our providers related to approximately 1,161,000 members, primarily in the
California commercial market. Shared-risk arrangements provide for us to share with our providers the variance
between actual costs and predetermined goals.
Our HMOs in other states also contract with hospitals, physicians and other providers of health care,
pursuant to discounted fee-for-service arrangements, hospital per diems, and case rates under which providers
bill the HMOs for each individual service provided to enrollees. Additionally, we contract with certain hospitals
to provide hospital care to enrolled members on a capitation basis.
We assess the profitability of contracts for providing health care services when operating results or forecasts
indicate probable future losses. Significant factors that can lead to a change in our profitability estimates include
premium yield and health care cost trend assumptions, risk share terms and non-performance of a provider under
a capitated agreement resulting in membership reverting to fee-for-service arrangements with other providers.
Contracts are grouped in a manner consistent with the method of determining premium rates. Losses are
determined by comparing anticipated premiums to estimates for the total of health care related costs less
reinsurance recoveries, if any, and the cost of maintaining the contracts. Losses, if any, are recognized in the
period the losses are determined and are classified as Health Plan Services. We held no premium deficiency
reserves as of December 31, 2007.
Government Contracts
The TRICARE North Region contract is made up of two major revenue components, health care and
administrative services. Health care services revenue includes health care costs, including paid claims and
estimated IBNR expenses, for care provided for which we are at risk and underwriting fees earned for providing
the health care and assuming underwriting risk in the delivery of care. Administrative services revenue
encompasses all other services provided to both the government customer and to beneficiaries, including services
such as medical management, claims processing, enrollment, customer services and other services unique to the
managed care support contracts with the government. Health care costs and associated revenues are recognized
as the costs are incurred and the associated revenue is earned. Revenue related to administrative services is
recognized as the services are provided and earned. Revenues associated with the transition to the TRICARE
contract for the North Region are recognized over the entire term of the contract.
There are different variables that impact the estimate of the IBNR reserves for our TRICARE business than
those that impact our managed care businesses. These variables consist of changes in the level of our nation’s
military activity, including the call-up of reservists in support of heightened military activity, continual changes
in the number of eligible beneficiaries, changes in the health care facilities in which the eligible beneficiaries
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